| AFC, APNU no show on opposition corruption and conflict of interest debate |  |  |  |
| Wednesday, 17 October 2012 22:42 |
REPRESENTATIVES of the Alliance for Change (AFC) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) did not show up for a live televised debate on corruption that resumed on the National Communications Network (NCN) last evening on the topic Opposition Corruption and Conflict of Interest.
 Manzoor Nadir Creighton, setting the tone for the evening’s proceedings, announced that invitations were extended as they usually are to members of the opposition soliciting their participation in what was supposed to be a debate. The need for a discussion of this nature was largely influenced by the fact that corruption must be addressed as a national issue and that discussions should not only be limited to the government. Minister Ramsammy believes that businesses, organisations, various institutions, political parties and parliamentarians have all been embroiled in charges of some corruption, at some time or the other.  Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy “We have had a one- sided discussion as if corruption is only applicable to the government; but, as you travel this country, you hear allegations being made against people… I believe that when you look at Guyana’s situation today, there are many questions being asked by our citizens,” Minister Ramsammy explained. In Nadir’s perspective, a debate of this nature was spurred by persons who felt compelled to put the opposition under the spotlight after listening to their plethora of ramblings on corruption allegations against the government. “As those programmes were aired, I got calls from people saying, ‘there are issues that we want some opposition members to address because we also hear, know of, and feel strongly that opposition members are literally selling their birthright for gains and they are not yet in government,” Nadir said. A daring call was made by both government representatives for the opposition members to “face the people” as the government side had done in the previous debate series, and not “hide like chickens.” “They don’t have evidence of corruption against the government because the government has explanations; but they have questions to answer about their own actions and those questions cannot be answered by them because they know that these are truths,” Minister Ramsammy charged. The two government officials spoke out on the opposition members, particularly Moses Nagamootoo and Nigel Hughes, of the AFC for their demonstrations of “dishonesty,” “extortion” and propagation of lies at street corner meetings. Nadir, holding up a picture of Nagamootoo escorting a Chinese delegation from the company that won the bid for the Cheddi Jagan International Airport expansion project, dared the AFC member to challenge allegations of a $10M retainer he got in relation to representation in the particular project. Claims by Nagamootoo of being instrumental in negotiating relocation packages for West Berbice residents ahead of the Berbice river bridge construction, when in fact he was employed by NICIL to complete the legal arrangements, was also questioned. Failure of Hughes to remit taxes owed to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), improprieties involved in a legal property battle and Kathy Hughes’ occupation as a public relations officer for Synergy Holdings were also brought to the fore, with the government representatives demanding answers. With revelations coming out of the Linden and Agricola scenarios, the two government representatives believe that there is enough evidence to suggest that AFC members have been playing divisive roles, taking credit on the one hand as organisers, and denying involvement when acts are deemed reprehensible and persons lose their lives. (GNA)
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